How I proved Steve Evans wrong at Leeds United

WHEN an FA Cup exit at Watford in February as good as condemned Leeds United to another season of mid-table mediocrity, Jordan Botaka's own prospects looked just as bleak.
Stuart Dallas is hugged after netting his late equaliser for Leeds United against Hull City (Picture: Simon Hulme).Stuart Dallas is hugged after netting his late equaliser for Leeds United against Hull City (Picture: Simon Hulme).
Stuart Dallas is hugged after netting his late equaliser for Leeds United against Hull City (Picture: Simon Hulme).

The Zaire-born winger had made just two starts since signing from Dutch club Excelsior the previous summer and both of those had come under Uwe Rosler.

Worse still, Steve Evans, Rosler’s successor, made clear his thoughts on Botaka during his post-match assessment at Vicarage Road.

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“He was very fortunate to be on the pitch,” said the Scot about Botaka’s first action in more than two months courtesy of a brief cameo from the bench. “He was in the squad because I didn’t have any other options.”

Even allowing for the possibility that Evans’s words were fuelled by the dejection at going out of the Cup, it seemed a fair bet to suggest Botaka had little or no future at Elland Road.

Fast forward a couple of months, however, and the 22-year-old is back in favour thanks to a couple of impressive appearances from the bench.

After causing Wolverhampton Wanderers all manner of problems last Tuesday with his pace and direct running, Botaka was at it again at the KC Stadium as his trickery and ability to beat a man created the opening that allowed Stuart Dallas to fire in United’s late equaliser.

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“I have been through a very difficult period,” admitted the Congo international after helping extend Leeds’ unbeaten run to four games.

“I had to play a lot of games with the Under-21s. He (Evans) was very critical. Everyone has their own opinion about a player and he had his of me. But it was up to me to prove him wrong.

“It was very difficult for me to accept the fact I wasn’t near the squad, not even on the bench and I told him. We faced each other.

“I told him what I thought of the fact I wasn’t playing, I told him to his face and he told me to my face what he thought about me. We moved on from that moment.

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“Now, I really have a good feeling for the future. I am a man and I am fighting for my place in the squad. This is a good club, a massive club. I really want to be here.”

Dallas’s 88th-minute equaliser, earned courtesy of a drilled left-foot shot from 20 yards, ensured an entertaining derby ended with honours even.

It was probably the right result, a point underlined by both teams feeling, with some justification, that they might have just done enough to claim all three points.

For Hull, the regrets centred around not capitalising on their dominance of possession or the two goals in first-half stoppage time that transformed what had looked like being a half-time deficit into a 2-1 lead.

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That Steve Bruce’s men did not push on in the second half after such a major fillip was a disappointment for the home fans in a 20,732 crowd, who nevertheless applauded their team from the field at the final whistle despite the late concession of an equaliser.

Leeds, meanwhile, could point to Chris Wood’s second-half penalty being saved by Allan McGregor as the reason why a first league double over the Tigers in almost 30 years had eluded them.

Plenty of positives, therefore, for both sides to take out of a contest that had seen United take the lead against the run of play on 14 minutes.

Wood, collecting the ball midway inside the City half, spread play quickly to Charlie Taylor before racing into the area to meet the resulting left-wing cross with a finish so sweet that McGregor stood no chance.

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That the Kiwi striker was totally unmarked at the time was a damning indictment on a Tigers defence that, not for the first time lately, lacked concentration.

It was a similar story midway through the half when City were again caught napping, this time by Dallas’s through ball that released Lewis Cook, This time, though, Andrew Robertson scampered back to pull off a goal-saving tackle.

By half-time, the value of the Scot’s intervention was apparent thanks to Hull netting twice in as many minutes.

First, Abel Hernandez bagged his 20th of the campaign with a tap-in from Robert Snodgrass’s cross before the Uruguayan turned creator to set up Tom Huddlestone and his drilled shot from the edge of the area gave Marco Silvestri no chance.

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Botaka’s introduction at half-time for the ineffective Lee Erwin helped pep up United, who should have drawn level nine minutes after the restart when Moses Odubajo’s rash tackle on Charlie Taylor left referee Iain Williamson with no option but to point to the spot.

McGregor spared his team-mate’s blushes with a fine save low to his left from Wood’s penalty but he was unable to do anything about the drive from Dallas two minutes from time that ensured Leeds headed back along the M62 with something to show for their efforts.

For Hull, the dropped points meant automatic promotion had gone but assistant manager Mike Phelan insists there are grounds for optimism heading into the play-offs.

“We can take any team on (in the play-offs),” he said: “The aim recently has been to get back on track and I think we have addressed that a bit.

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“A concern is the couple of goals a game we are giving away. We need to stop that if we aregoing to be successful. If you are scoring two goals and not winning, there has to be a way to remedy that. But we will find that way.”